# What scotch would you recommend for the uninitiated?



## Cardinal (Jun 14, 2013)

Just looked through the thread on single malts, and since I don't want to hijack it - what would you recommend for someone new to scotch?

I've had inexpensive Dewars before and it tastes like applejuice to me - not in a bad way, but in a way that made me want to stick to bourbon. Then I had some Glenfidditch...12 I think...with a friend and it tasted really good. I'm not new to liquor, and I like bourbon and I like gin, so I'm not afraid :twitch: 

I'd like to keep it reasonably priced to start, definitely $100 or less and even sub-$75 if I can. Any suggestions?


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## AuTechCoM (Jan 13, 2014)

Mcallan 12 all the way.


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## scrouds (Mar 29, 2014)

I will give you the same advice I give people starting in cigars. Go to a B&M and try some out. I'd bet theres some good bars/lounges that have a selection of fine scotch(es?) near you. Sure you'll pay top dollar but its better then being stuck with bottles you don't want to drink.

Also look for tasting events. Theres a place near me that does classes and tasting events called total wine, looks like they have some shops in dfw, so give your local one a call and see if they have one. They may even set one up for you if you can get some other people to come. Its also my liquor store of choice, so they must be doing something right.


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## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

scrouds said:


> I will give you the same advice I give people starting in cigars. Go to a B&M and try some out. I'd bet theres some good bars/lounges that have a selection of fine scotch(es?) near you. Sure you'll pay top dollar but its better then being stuck with bottles you don't want to drink.
> 
> Also look for tasting events. Theres a place near me that does classes and tasting events called total wine, looks like they have some shops in dfw, so give your local one a call and see if they have one. They may even set one up for you if you can get some other people to come. Its also my liquor store of choice, so they must be doing something right.


+1!!


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## Mitch (Oct 2, 2009)

McAllen 18 is my fav, I love 12 too and the price is great. Glen is great


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

If you are talking single malts, I would say any lowland malt. It's the least complex and is characteristically smooth, floral and easy to drink. Highlands are smokey and peaty , Islays are salty and smokey but lowlands are a nice way to start. Speysides and Campeltowns are a different conversation


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## AuTechCoM (Jan 13, 2014)

scrouds said:


> I will give you the same advice I give people starting in cigars. Go to a B&M and try some out. I'd bet theres some good bars/lounges that have a selection of fine scotch(es?) near you. Sure you'll pay top dollar but its better then being stuck with bottles you don't want to drink.
> 
> Also look for tasting events. Theres a place near me that does classes and tasting events called total wine, looks like they have some shops in dfw, so give your local one a call and see if they have one. They may even set one up for you if you can get some other people to come. Its also my liquor store of choice, so they must be doing something right.


That's a great idea if there is a suitable bar with a proper selection. The selection at any of my local bars suck and when they do have anything decent they charge upwards of $18 a shot. I have even seen one place try to get $60 for a shot of blue label. Its things like that, that make me just pull the trigger on a bottle blindly. My next botle will be an Oban just raised on a few recommendations


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## magoo6541 (Mar 9, 2014)

I am also fairly new to scotch but I do really enjoy it also. Glenlivet 12 is my suggestion. It's reasonably priced and is the most popular scotch in the US.

My best friends father in law is Scottish and is the man I look toward when I need a suggestion of what to try. The man knows his stuff. Glenlivet 12 is still his goto drink and he always has a bottle handy. If you want to spend a bit more, you could get the 18 yr bottle which I have not tried yet. I believe that the Glenlivet 21 yr reserve was one of the highest rated scotches this year but it's a little above your max price. 

Speaking of all this, my buddy just got back from Scotland yesterday and presented me with a nice bottle. It was late and I don't recall what it is exactly. I'll have to try it and let you know.


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## AuTechCoM (Jan 13, 2014)

magoo6541 said:


> I am also fairly new to scotch but I do really enjoy it also. Glenlivet 12 is my suggestion. It's reasonably priced and is the most popular scotch in the US.
> 
> My best friends father in law is Scottish and is the man I look toward when I need a suggestion of what to try. The man knows his stuff. Glenlivet 12 is still his goto drink and he always has a bottle handy. If you want to spend a bit more, you could get the 18 yr bottle which I have not tried yet. I believe that the Glenlivet 21 yr reserve was one of the highest rated scotches this year but it's a little above your max price.
> 
> Speaking of all this, my buddy just got back from Scotland yesterday and presented me with a nice bottle. It was late and I don't recall what it is exactly. I'll have to try it and let you know.


Man Glenlivet 21 is my all time favorite but I still need to try a macallan 21 before I make my final decision until I find a new favorite


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## Mokano (Apr 26, 2014)

A good liquor store should have some 30ml bottles for sampling. Won't be everything by any means, but enough to hit the major profiles. I really like scotchnoob.com. The Whisky Shelf: Covering the Bases | The Scotch Noob. I started with his advice and kept building.

Glenlivet 12 was my first bottle. It isn't the one that made me fall in love though. Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or has that distinction.


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## Cardinal (Jun 14, 2013)

Thanks all! Cool website there Mokano, I'll definitely take a closer look tonight.

And I'll look for either a tasting or some little bottles for sampling. Barring that, I'll try one of the middle-of-the-road priced ones here, and just go. It's crazy to me in a city the size of Ft. Worth, but I haven't found a great liquor store close to my house. May need to drive over to Dallas for that.


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## RocknRoll (Jul 22, 2013)

My first Single Malt was Glenmorangie Original/10yr.

Here are a few links I used when I got started with Single Malts.

*Climbing the Scotch Ladder for Beginners*
*Picking Your First Single-Malt Scotch*

"Flavor Maps" can be handy, too. Here are two I use.

*The Single Malt Whisky Flavour Map*
*The Single Malt Whisky Flavour Map* This one is fancier with extra panels.


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## louwags (May 17, 2014)

Try a bottle of Talisker. Goes very well with most cigars.

--Wag--


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## Mokano (Apr 26, 2014)

louwags said:


> Try a bottle of Talisker. Goes very well with most cigars.
> 
> --Wag--


Too true. I liked Talisker before taking up cigars, and I have to say it hits a whole other level with a stick. Pretty amazing in fact.


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Oban...enough said. Well, maybe a bit more. Oban is the scotch I as the basis for any other scotch.


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## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

I'm not a huge scotch drinker, so take that into consideration. That being said, my dad's a big scotch drinker and I've had quite a few pours from what he has on hand. I haven't met a Belvenie I haven't liked. Hands down the best glass of anything I've ever had was the belvenie double wood 17 year that I bought him... but at $130 a bottle it's not a daily drinker. The other cheaper bottles were very good as well. Macallan 12 was also solid, and I also have a bottle of chivas regal 12 at home that I finally cracked last night that was pretty good too... although I think that's the only blended scotch that I liked. Just a touch of smoke/peat to remind me that I'm drinking scotch.


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## Cardinal (Jun 14, 2013)

I read about Talisker on that site today and the way it's described makes me really want to try it. I'm going to make a trip down to a big shop down south tomorrow and see what they've got. Can't wait to get started on another expensive, endless addiction...er hobby hwell:


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## Mokano (Apr 26, 2014)

Cardinal said:


> Can't wait to get started on another expensive, endless addiction...er hobby hwell:


What are friends for?


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## beercritic (Feb 13, 2011)

I always liked the Islays. Peaty, Smokey, medicinal & iodine. Ardbeg, in particular. The cheaper ones didn't hit the mark and the pricier didn't add to the experience. The head blender at Ardbeg has a chemistry doctorate. Good stuff!


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## garublador (Jun 5, 2014)

I'll first say that that "Climbing the Scotch Ladder for Beginners" link is a wonderful way to start. Having gone through this myself and having helped a few others I can give a little bit of extra stuff to consider when trying them.

We just got back from a trip to Scotland and while I have been a whiskey and scotch drinker for a while, I still learned a lot from the trip. The three people I was with were all relatively new to scotch but caught on really quick. One thing that I found particularly interesting is comparing the different regions. Having actually been there and understanding the geography helped a lot. If I were doing it all over again, I'd look at it that way rather than just choosing them randomly and seeing what happens.

Lowlands - this region produces the lightest and probably some of the more beginner friendly scotches, but most of the whisky they produce goes into blends. There aren't many distilleries there and their whiskies are generally regarded as not horribly complex or interesting. I'd put a low priority on getting to know them, but FWIW, from the two I tried I preferred Auchentoshan over Glenkinchie.

Speyside - these whiskies are all located in the Highlands, but are all in the same river valley. The water that's used has a fairly large impact on the final taste of the whisky, so these all seem to have a taste in common. I have a hard time describing it, but it's this sort of funky taste. IMO, the Glenfiddich 12 is a great example of this taste. The Glenlivet is worth trying because of how ubiquitous it is. It's also good and affordable, especially for the quality. Macallan probably falls into a similar category. The Balvenie Double Wood usually goes over really well with new drinkers and won't break the bank, either. When people think "single malt scotch" they think of Speyside scotches first, so it's worth getting familiar with this region, even if it isn't your favorite. FWIW, Aberlour is apparently super popular in France (which is apparently a huge scotch drinking country) and Cardhu is very popular in Spain. 

Highlands - there seems to be a pretty big variety in the Highlands scotches. You can get anywhere from non peated (no smokey flavor) to highly peated (very smoky flavor). You'll notice in that link I cited above, the only category that doesn't have a Highlands scotch is the Islay specific category. What's common (but not universal) among most is their use of bourbon barrels to get a vanilla flavor. They seem to shoot for a slightly sweeter taste. On the lighter side, Glenmorangie 10 is relatively cheap, easy to drink but still good quality. They have some that are aged in two different barrels (e.g. Nectar D'Our, Quinta Ruban) that are a bit more pricy, but also more complex and still within your budget. Highland Park is also a must try. It gets pretty universal praise. It's peatier than some others, but not overly so and my guess is a cigar smoker won't really mind. If you can find it, I think that Edradour is a good whisky for beginners as well if you want something that's not as light as Glenmorangie, but still easy to drink. As others have said, Talisker is great if you want something smokier. 

Islay - if you want smokey, here's where to find it. Many times you hear people suggest to try one of these before committing to a bottle, and while that is great advice, I'd guess that a cigar smoker probably isn't as afraid of a little peat. I've only had a few of these, but Ardbeg is my favorite as well. Bowmore is a great introduction (and I've been considering getting another bottle once my Ardbeg is out) but Laphroaig is the quintessential Islay, so it's worth checking out.


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## Blue Raccoon (Mar 13, 2011)

Balvenie DoubleWood 12


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## JamesMxP (Jun 22, 2014)

I'd say don't worry about diving into single malt right off the bat. Get some blended scotch, Chivas 12 is pretty mild and easy drinking. Get some Johnnie Walker black for a little more of a smoke flavor.

I tried Glenmorangie as a first single malt and nearly swore off scotch. I would swear I could taste a note of bile/vomit.

Favorite single malts are Macallan 18, balvenie carribean cask, and the occassional Ardbeg 10.


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## SJJ16 (Jun 21, 2014)

I'm an Islay fan myself (Lagavulin), but I've had a couple smooth Highland scotches (Dalmore and Scapa are both good). Drew's advice about blended is a good one too!


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

Just picked up a bottle of BevMo! - Speyburn Scotch 10 Year yesterday. Pretty good. Kind of a milder flavor.


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

STOP! Take a deep breath.

Now, you're getting a lot of recommendations from some seasoned scotch veterans, who have either lost perspective on their own beginnings, or their memories from too much of the nectar 

All these suggestions to jump right into the subtleties and nuance of the highlands, such as Mcallan, or Glen Morangie, while GREAT, sublime spirits, is false economy. 

When I was first starting out, I was fortunate to have a true connoisseur to guide me. He was adamant that I sip my through "the proper progression" in order to truly appreciate what was happening in the finer bottles. He told me to start with the Islays, then to the lowlands, then finally, to the delicate highland malts. He sent me off for a bottle of Laphroaig, which at the time, was a cheap bottle of whisky. He explained that this whisky had ALL of the elements that distinguish fine scotch, but that they were bold and pronounced, such that an amateur could separate and sense them. Damn, was he right! Not to mention, it remains one of my favorites.

Also, never discount the fact that the Famous Grouse has been Scotland's favorite scotch for time in memorium.


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## Cardinal (Jun 14, 2013)

Thanks Don. 

I ran to the closest liquor store last week and their prices were as atrocious as I remember, with every bottle about $15-20 higher than it should be. I'll go down south in a week or two and try a different store. 

Meanwhile I'm at my B&M and enjoying my first glass of Macallan 12. May I just say it's delightful


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## Reg (Dec 6, 2010)

$50-60: Bunnahabhain 12 or Bruichladdich "The Laddie Ten"


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## MacWebDev (Jul 1, 2014)

I have found Dalwhinnie 15yr to be a smooth, easy scotch that friends of mine new to scotch have all enjoyed. About $90 a bottle here in Ontario... I imagine it would be cheaper in the USA as most alcohol is.

My all time favourite (so far) is Glenfarclas 21yr - I was gifted a bottle recently and was blown away. This is no everyday drinker (at least not for me) as I would imagine the price to be $150+ The closest currently listed at the LCBO is the 17yr for approx $130

I'm no connoisseur, but have tried many a scotch, blended and single malts, and have yet to meet one I don't like. Then again, I'm a huge fan of any type of whiskey. Typically drink it all on the rocks... literally. Big fan of the soapstone to keep it cool without dilution.


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## llappen (Jul 24, 2014)

For scotch my go to is Glenlivet 18. Smooth smooth


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## Eureka (Jul 23, 2014)

I recommend Blackadder for single malt, and Black Dog and Chivas Regal for good blends. Good way to begin your journey.


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## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

Note;

Most if not all of the 21 year old malts have been finished the last 3 years in sherry casks. 
The flavors that result are a big departure from what one would normally experience. Some people like em, some don't.

Cheers :biggrin:


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## Work4Play (Aug 9, 2014)

Herf N Turf said:


> STOP! Take a deep breath.
> 
> Now, you're getting a lot of recommendations from some seasoned scotch veterans, who have either lost perspective on their own beginnings, or their memories from too much of the nectar
> 
> ...


This is spot on! Could not agree more.

A nice bottle I enjoy sometimes is the Lagavulin 16, around $70 a bottle but worth it.


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## c.ortiz108 (Nov 16, 2013)

Some good advice here. I think two good noob options are Glenmorangie 10 and Speyburn 10. Relatively cheap, delicious and easy drinking. Most blends are disappointing to me, including all JWs (though never tried Blue or Gold). And why anyone would drink Glenfiddich is a mystery to me. Just my 2c!



Eureka said:


> I recommend Blackadder for single malt, and Black Dog and Chivas Regal for good blends. Good way to begin your journey.


Hey, are you in India? I thought Black Dog was only for the Indian market. I second that recommendation - a damn good blend!


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## DbeatDano (Aug 3, 2014)

Bruichladdich The Laddie 10 or Glenmorangie Original 10yo. Two of my favorites. Bought the Laddie for $47 and Glenmorangie 10yo was $45. Both are sweet and full flavored with very little burn. Also check out the guru of single malt (IMO) Ralfystuff on youtube, specifically his whisky of the year reviews and his whisky review 277 three best malt whiskies for beginners.


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